My First Imp (First Sprint this Year!)

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Re: My First Imp (Lots of Interest Again!)

Post by pubcrawler »

As the organiser of Classic Car Shows, for Owen Motoring Club, I had decided to leave my green thing at home this year and not show it at the NEC :o
Fellow club members insisited I take it along to the NEC again and of course as usual there was lots of interest in it :D
Mine was the cheapest car on our stand and got just as much attention as the pristine Escort Mk2 Harrier which has had thousands spent on it :wink:
A very enjoyable 4 days, met some interesting people with great Imp stories and was good to meet up with fellow Imp Club members on my stand and theirs 8)
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Re: My First Imp (Pleased with my result!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Did an all forward autotest with my Nephew navigating the day after Boxing Day :o
More of a test to see how it revved and drove in anger, so as long as it's kept it above 3,800 rpm it goes very well :D
I did one wrong test and hit some cones on others and still finished 3rd in class out of 10 in the rear wheel drive class 8)
The 3 tests were done 3 times

MX5......76 83 73 66 77 93 67 84 97..........(716 secs) 1st
MX5 ......67 92 76 74 87 77 68 87 89.........(717 secs) 2nd
IMP ......74 99 94 72 81 99 80 79 88.........(766 secs) 3rd
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Re: My First Imp (Pleased with my result!)

Post by ImpManiac »

Well done indeed, Martin and nephew! 8) Imps can do really well in autotests, as you have shown, owing to their outstanding agility. Third is a great achievement!

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Re: My First Imp (Such a lot of interest!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Probably the cheapest car on show there on Sunday at Stratford upon Avon's Festival of Motoring :D
Never been to this event before, lots of people, loads of classics in five closed roads and again lots of interest in my green thing :o
Love listening to stories and one chap told me a friend of his worked at Linwood :shock:
Every Friday the wives would meet their husbands out of work to take their pay packet from them to prevent them spending it all in the pub that night :lol:
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Re: My First Imp (Such a lot of interest!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Love this photo :D
Photo bombed by my Wife having a coffee :lol:
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Re: My First Imp (Claim to fame..on film!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Following last weekends great Stratford Festival of Motoring I've found a short 3 min film :o
My green thing is at 1 min 48 secs and Richards is in the background at 2 min 52 secs 8)

http://www.stratforward.co.uk/files/fil ... sd360p.mp4
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Re: My First Imp (Claim to fame..on film!)

Post by Dave ' Linwood ' Lane »

looks a great event - i do love the look of your Imp BTW :)
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Re: My First Imp (Grass autotest!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Had another fun day with my green thing on Sunday :o
Competing with my Nephew on the Owen Motoring Club's annual grass auto test at Catton Park (not far from the National Memorial Arboretum).
Only me in the class but finished 17th o/all out of 24 :D
There were doubts that the event would go ahead after all the rain the previous week but the field drained and dried quickly and I was amazed how much grip the Imp had on the Yokohama tyres 8)
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Re: My First Imp (Grass autotest!)

Post by Lars Hagermark »

^^^ :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: My First Imp (Drive it Day 2018!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Haven't updated for a while, too busy with FB...and I said I would never go on it :roll: :lol:
Annual 'Drive it Day' yesterday and I did a total of 185 miles from start to finish :o
106 miles of those were from a road-book route which took us through some scenic countryside around Shropshire and Worcester, car performed well although some of the very steep hills were a challenge with such a cammy engine which requires lots of revving :wink:
We started at RAF Cosford and finished at Shelsley Walsh with my Nephew Luke reading the road-book 8)
I think washing it the day before was a waste of time :lol: :lol:
I've got it booked into a rolling road next month just to see if they can make it a little bit more drivable on the road :D
Next main outing will be the Stratford show on 6th May and this year I'll be doing the small tour beforehand 8)
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Re: My First Imp (Drive it Day 2018!)

Post by yoeddynz »

Glad you posted up. Its so much nicer to follow a forum thread with nice photos and a good read than it is to look at unlinked random images on FB. By following good forum threads you can become immersed in a writers project and get taken along for the ride :-)

Always great to see the cars getting used properly after they've been finished too! :D
[https://oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/28896-was-yoeddynzs-1968-viva-mazda-v6-new-owner-welcome-guzzi-rat/
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Re: My First Imp (Front Page!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Well chuffed, made it onto the front page of this weeks edition :o 8) 8)
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Re: My First Imp (Rolling Road Visit!)

Post by pubcrawler »

I love driving my Imp but with the set up I always have to drive with one eye on the rev counter to keep it on cam when climbing small gradients etc :?
So a few people have suggested I get it set up on a rolling road to see if this can be ironed out to make it more drivable, so last week I took it to Aldon Automotive at Brierley Hill :D
He kept if for a couple of days whilst new carb bits were ordered but worth the wait and what a transformation 8)
I can now drive it smoothly up through the rev range with no hesitation around the 3,500 rpm mark :o
Looking forward to doing some sprints with it now 8)
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Re: My First Imp (Rolling Road Visit!)

Post by benwick3 »

I'm assuming that the attachment is for the final result and from your comments you are obviously more than pleased with it. However, based on the information provided I am of the opinion that the result obtained is not taking full advantage of the characteristics of the Fraser B cam. In this context it would have been interesting to have seen the figures continue to 8500 rpm so as to obtain values nearer the accepted main power rev range for the cam.

Whilst the settings reached are expected to provide safe running I feel there is potentially more power available with no loss in drivability. Based on my experience a change to 30mm chokes and 115 main jets along with F16 emulsion tubes and 180 air correctors will further unlock the performance of the Fraser B cam. Similarly whilst I agree with the 10 degree idle advance, with the above settings I have found a maximum advance of 36 degrees to be adequate.

Anyway in this instance just enjoy the improvements that you have obtained. However, when you get to the stage that you feel that you could do with more power then a change to my suggestions could prove beneficial.

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Re: My First Imp (Rolling Road Visit!)

Post by Lotus-e-Clan »

Yes years ago I adpoted Pete's 115 mains/30 choke settings (applied to DHLA's) using GB72 cam (similar to Frazer B) and there was an instant midrange + top end torque increase.

His setting really do work well. :)

The 28 chokes will restrict the top end power but you probably gain in lower-mid torque. A C/Ratio box helps if you push the power up the rev range too.
Scott has a lot of experience with 28 choke settings IIRC.

Aren't Imp engines great when at full chat! Can't wait to get mine back on the road in june after I return from Whitsun hols. :roll:
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Re: My First Imp (Rolling Road Visit!)

Post by bks974c »

Indeed, I wanted the car to drive as smoothly as say a sport engine so no reving to set off on a hill, no power until it comes on the cam etc.

I was happy to sacrifice top end to achieve this drivability which I got by going down to 28mm chokes and correctly set up and balanced webers.

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Re: My First Imp (Rolling Road Visit!)

Post by Grahame59 »

Very interesting to see the rolling road printout and glad that you are happy with the improvements. Curious that it produces more power and torque at 2500rpm than it does at 3000rpm though. Is that noticeable in the real world, Martin, as 2500/3000rpm would be used frequently?

Can anyone recommend a RR in the Sussex area? While I'm happy with how my Imp performs I am sure a RR session could improve it.

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Re: My First Imp (Test Day!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Following the rolling road set up I then drove my Imp to 2 car shows the following weekend :o
Saturday was a car show at Shrewsbury (about 50 miles away) and then Sunday a local one in the next village :)
I found the car to be a lot more enjoyable to drive on the road and great not having to keep one eye on the rev counter when climbing hills :D
So my next test was a track day at Curborough Sprint course (near Lichfield) to see how it performs at speed on the track :o
Again I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is now to drive and how quickly the engine responds when coming out of tight corners :D
The visit to Aldon Automotive was well worth it and am now looking forward to my 1st sprint in two years on June 10th, just need to buy new overalls and a crash helmet :o 8)
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Re: My First Imp (Motorsport Update!)

Post by pubcrawler »

I thought I'd better update my forum page for those of you who haven't seen my mutterings on Facebook :o
I purchased new helmet, overalls & gloves from Demon Tweeks (belated Birthday presents from my good Wife) and then took part in 3 events :shock:
My 1st was our club sprint at Curborough, near Lichfield, which is the figure of 8 formation and great to drive and then the second at Shelsley Walsh :D
Both of these events were learning events as I'm still getting used to driving it in anger and didn't come away with any awards but just a huge smile :P
My 3rd event was a Loton Park hillclimb near Welshpool and I haven't competed here for many years, I was in a class of 3 which was a regular competitor and his son in an AH Sprite Mk4 :?
Happy to say I beat them and won my class 8)
I've got one more event planned at Harewood and maybe try and fit another Curborough in before the end of the year :)
I think over the winter I need to get the gearbox ratios changed as there is too much of a gap between 2nd & 3rd but I still want it drivable on the road :?
Also the rear springs need stiffening but apart from that I have to say how pleased I am with it's performance :D
Will try and put an article together for Impressions soon as well 8)
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Re: My First Imp (Motorsport Update!)

Post by bazzateer »

Great stuff Martin.
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Re: My First Imp (NEC appearance!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Had a really enjoyable 3 days at the Restoration Show at the NEC in Birmingham :o
Our stand had lots of visitors even though we were tucked away in the corner of Hall 3 :wink:
Thanks again to Richard & Dale for inviting me 8)
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Re: My First Imp (NEC appearance!)

Post by 617sqn »

Very nice, fellas. But I just LOVE that van. Excellent 8). We have a van with a former ACO down here in Sussex, also (potentially) white. However, there's a distinct lack of mojo with its owner, so I'll probably be dust before it sees the tarmac in any form. Shame, as I was promised a Going Dutch in it as a passenger about 7 years back. :?

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Re: My First Imp (Before & After!)

Post by pubcrawler »

My 'sister' car was at the show at Chetwynd Deer Park on Sunday :o
Really must get them photographed side by side one day :D
Car belongs to Mark Sistern (Mark One on here) and has my original front seats in it :)
He came away with 3rd in class, well done 8)
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Re: My First Imp (First Sprint this Year!)

Post by pubcrawler »

Last Sunday was my first sprint of 2019, which was a 2 lap event :o
I was at Curborough and was the only car in class 1A :(
Really enjoyed my day, in between the showers, and improved my times on each run 8)
As it can seen the track was a bit greasy on the first practice lap :o
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Re: My First Imp (First Sprint this Year!)

Post by moose »

1st in class trophy then. Got to be in it to win it. cracking pictures, you should come and do a rally with those steering angles. Whenever i have done hillclimbs the proper lads have told me off for driving like that :lol:
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